Latest news with #speedrecord
WIRED
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- WIRED
Bo's Turbo Escooter Can Go Over 100 MPH—and Could Set a Record
Bo plans to break 100 miles per hour on its nearly $30,000 Turbo scooter with an injection of Formula One expertise. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. The fastest I've ever ridden on an electric kick scooter is close to 40 miles an hour, and it was terrifying. UK-based escooter company Bo wants to go even faster—more than 100 miles per hour—and set a Guinness World Record in the process. Bo is a relative newcomer in the micromobility space, and its team is peppered with former members of Williams Formula One Advanced Engineering. It launched its first scooter, the hand-assembled Bo M, a year and a half ago in the UK and European Union, and it's finally gearing up to launch it in the US in the coming weeks. To get people jazzed up about its sleek, unibody aluminum scooter, Bo is trying to dazzle with the Turbo. 'If you want people to really care about micromobility, you have to do impressive, meaningful things,' Bo CEO Oscar Morgan tells me. It's unveiling the Turbo to the public at Bonneville Speed Week in August, where it hopes to set the speed record. Model M Photograph: Julian Chokkattu Before diving into the details of the Turbo, we need to discuss the Bo M. It resembles a scooter, but it also doesn't look like any other kick scooter. The hallmark of its design is the unibody aluminum chassis, which doesn't fold at all. Even when you order it, the Bo M comes in an L-shaped box, preserving its pristine shape. The company is so proud of its unibody Monocurve chassis that it has a seven-year warranty on the chassis (the scooter in its entirety is covered for two years). The inability to fold it makes it rather annoying to store neatly or carry up a flight of stairs, but Morgan says a folding system immediately creates more durability risks, citing how major players like Segway have had to issue recalls tied to folding mechanisms. An early issue like that would have jeopardized a small company like Bo. The idea is for the Bo to be ready to go at all times. The unique center stand keeps the Bo M from leaning sideways when it's not in use, unlike almost every other scooter. And it's completely weatherproof (IP66)—Morgan says you can store it outside, something that isn't recommended with most escooters. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu The Bo M is disarmingly simple and deceptively powerful. It doesn't look like it can go far or all that fast, but the 400-watt motor can dish out a top speed of 22 mph. Weighing 50 pounds, it has an estimated 30 miles of range and can handle riders up to 265 pounds. I was able to ride it briefly in Brooklyn, and the motor isn't jerky, smoothly ramping up power as you need it. There's no suspension, but the 10-inch pneumatic tires handled bumps on the road decently well, though cobblestones proved problematic. The Bo M feels sturdy and stiff, nimble and solid. Bo's Safesteer tech stabilizes the handlebars to always return to center, which meant I didn't need to grip the handles so tightly. I also like that the regenerative brake isn't an alternative brake like on most scooters—it's built into the left brake lever, while the right powers the mechanical drum brake. That said, I wouldn't have minded more stopping power. I also would have liked the ability to raise the height of the handlebars, as it was a little low for my 6'4" frame. But that would have ruined the unibody aesthetic. Instead, Morgan imagines the company will have other models, much like a clothing line. A Bo L could be designed for taller folks with more power and range, and a Bo S could add a folding mechanism to make the vehicle more portable. You get a headlight and rear light, a bell, and a button to change between the two speed modes. That's it. In the center is the IntraLock mounting system from accessory maker Mous (another UK company). There is no display on the scooter—Bo wants you to use your phone instead—which means you'll need to buy a Mous IntraLock case to mount a smartphone. Once mounted, you can use Bo's app as a speedometer or your favorite mapping app. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu The app doesn't have many other features outside of locking the motor, choosing modes, turning on the headlight, and checking the battery. Technically, Morgan tells me the scooter has the hardware needed to enable Find My functionality in Apple's tracking app, but Bo hasn't completed Apple's certification process yet, so this capability isn't present currently. The Lock and Load mounting point on the chassis lets you secure the scooter with a bike lock and doubles as a spot to hang a backpack as you ride. All of this comes at a high price, one that many may find unreasonable. In the UK, the Bo M starts at £1,299, but when it launches in the US it'll cost $2,250 after tariffs. You can easily find scooters with similar capabilities for half that or less in the US, like the Apollo Go. That said, Morgan says Bo's demographic is people who enjoy the aesthetic of the scooter as much as the performance, many of whom are also first-time escooter riders. It's why the setup is almost nonexistent when you unbox the Bo M—just make sure the tires have enough air. The biggest question with new micromobility companies is the servicing story. Bo is currently looking to partner with a dealer network, though the company says it will sell parts online so a customer can make their own repairs if needed. While some of the components are proprietary, Morgan says it's built in a way that you can use third-party parts to keep the Bo M running forever. For example, the Bo M has a custom motor, but the mounting points are standardized. You could install another motor on the chassis, it just wouldn't have the same level of optimization. Make It Faster The existence of the Turbo can be summarized with one intent: If you can do 100 miles per hour on it, then riding at 25 mph on the Bo M is nothing. That's because the Turbo is made with the same aluminum unibody frame as the Bo M, just wider and with a dual-motor system. It's a pure marketing stunt to get people looking at the Bo M while showing off the company's engineering chops. The Turbo has a 24,000-watt dual-motor propulsion system, powered by a 1,800-watt-hour battery that theoretically could deliver 150 miles of range at normal speeds (around 18 mph). It has a ram-air intake 'inspired by F1 brake duct inlet design' to prevent the whole system from overheating. And it can go faster than 100 miles per hour, the world record it intends to set at Bonneville Speed Week. Perhaps shockingly, it's not impossible to purchase. Morgan tells me a Bo M customer in Spain has already ordered a Turbo for an eye-watering $29,500. Whether it sets the record or not, it'll be interesting to see what learnings the company will take to improve its future scooters (turn signals would be a nice place to start). Bo isn't the only company trying to make a splash in the volatile direct-to-consumer micromobility space. New York–based Infinite Machines recently debuted a sleek, all-aluminum $3,495 Olto ebike, pedals and all, and Rivian unveiled a new micromobility company earlier this year, dubbed Also. These companies are crafting a new breed of good-looking, durable, simplified micromobility vehicles, with higher prices to match. Only time will tell if customers bite.
Reuters
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Blue Bird returns to Welsh beach 100 years on from record run
LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - Pendine Sands, stretching for miles along the coast of south-west Wales, marks a motoring milestone on Monday with the return of a 'Blue Bird' car that captured the world's attention a century ago. On July 21, 1925, Briton Malcolm Campbell became the first person to travel at more than 150 miles per hour on land when he accelerated the mighty 350 hp Sunbeam along the beach to 150.76 mph. The car, with its 18 litre V12 Manitou aero engine, is now owned by the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and will be fired up at Pendine in a static display without any run being scheduled. Campbell's grandson Don Wales told Reuters the 1925 record triggered a mania for speed. "Everybody wanted to hear about who's got the land speed record and it was sparked, I think, by this record that my grandfather achieved," he said at a commemorative event in London, with the car on display outside. "He was surprised himself by the amount of media attention he was getting from effectively increasing his own record by four miles an hour, but it was that magic mark of 150." While modern sportscars can easily exceed 150mph, and do so on race tracks and Germany's autobahns, the speed was sensational at the time. Campbell had hit 146.16 mph in September 1924 at the same location and in the same car. In 1935, by then knighted for his achievements, he became the first to exceed 300 mph on land at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The record now stands at 763.035mph, set in 1997 by retired British Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green who thundered across Nevada's Black Rock desert to break the sound barrier on land for the first time with the jet-powered Thrust SSC. The record has stood still this century, although a Bloodhound project is still seeking the funds to hit the 1,000mph mark with a jet engine and monopropellant rocket working together. An Australian rocket-propelled 'Aussie Invader 5R' project also needs millions. Wales, from a family of record-breakers and whose late uncle Donald died in 1967 at speed on Coniston Water in his Bluebird K7 boat, doubted anything would happen soon. "You look at the problems that Thrust SSC had getting enough money to do the sound barrier, which again is a magic figure that captures the imagination," he said. "A thousand miles an hour, yes it's a big figure, but it just doesn't seem to have the attraction at the moment." Wales, whose records were set in a steam-powered vehicle and on a lawn mower, cited the space race and even the ever-increasing popularity of Formula One as possible reasons for waning interest. "I don't think the appetite is there any more. At the moment there is no money in record-breaking," he said. "The adage of 'if you want to make a small fortune from motorsport, start with a large one' is so true in record-breaking."
CNA
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
Blue Bird returns to Welsh beach 100 years on from record run
LONDON :Pendine Sands, stretching for miles along the coast of south-west Wales, marks a motoring milestone on Monday with the return of a 'Blue Bird' car that captured the world's attention a century ago. On July 21, 1925, Briton Malcolm Campbell became the first person to travel at more than 150 miles per hour on land when he accelerated the mighty 350 hp Sunbeam along the beach to 150.76 mph. The car, with its 18 litre V12 Manitou aero engine, is now owned by the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and will be fired up at Pendine in a static display without any run being scheduled. Campbell's grandson Don Wales told Reuters the 1925 record triggered a mania for speed. "Everybody wanted to hear about who's got the land speed record and it was sparked, I think, by this record that my grandfather achieved," he said at a commemorative event in London, with the car on display outside. "He was surprised himself by the amount of media attention he was getting from effectively increasing his own record by four miles an hour, but it was that magic mark of 150." While modern sportscars can easily exceed 150mph, and do so on race tracks and Germany's autobahns, the speed was sensational at the time. Campbell had hit 146.16 mph in September 1924 at the same location and in the same car. In 1935, by then knighted for his achievements, he became the first to exceed 300 mph on land at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The record now stands at 763.035mph, set in 1997 by retired British Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green who thundered across Nevada's Black Rock desert to break the sound barrier on land for the first time with the jet-powered Thrust SSC. The record has stood still this century, although a Bloodhound project is still seeking the funds to hit the 1,000mph mark with a jet engine and monopropellant rocket working together. An Australian rocket-propelled 'Aussie Invader 5R' project also needs millions. Wales, from a family of record-breakers and whose late uncle Donald died in 1967 at speed on Coniston Water in his Bluebird K7 boat, doubted anything would happen soon. "You look at the problems that Thrust SSC had getting enough money to do the sound barrier, which again is a magic figure that captures the imagination," he said. "A thousand miles an hour, yes it's a big figure, but it just doesn't seem to have the attraction at the moment." Wales, whose records were set in a steam-powered vehicle and on a lawn mower, cited the space race and even the ever-increasing popularity of Formula One as possible reasons for waning interest. "I don't think the appetite is there any more. At the moment there is no money in record-breaking," he said.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kite-Powered Sailboat Aims to Conquer World Sailing Speed Record
The SP80 team is aiming to smash the world sailing speed record and set a new one of over 80 knots. We interviewed the CEO (who's also one of the pilots) to learn about how the team's boat works and what it's like to sail.
Associated Press
16-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Bombardier's Record-Setting Global 7500 Aircraft Earns New Speed Record Between Montréal and Paris
PARIS, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier is proud to announce that its flagship aircraft, the Global 7500, has set a new speed record on a mission departing from Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, and landing at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. The Global 7500, renowned for its unparalleled capabilities, logged another record with a top speed of over 1,000 km/hr during its flight to Paris and completed the record in 5 hours and 30 minutes. This accomplishment comes as the Bombardier team is gearing up to host customers at the International Paris Air Show, with the company's presence anchored by Bombardier Defense. 'The Global 7500 performs at the highest levels across the board, in real-world situations. Bombardier takes great pride in completing meaningful speed records, like this latest one, during regular day-to-day operations with passengers, baggage and cargo, setting it apart from peers,' said Éric Martel, President and CEO of Bombardier. 'As we are getting ready for the entry into service of the Global 8000 aircraft later this year, the Global 7500 aircraft keeps demonstrating its superiority on all fronts, from its signature smooth ride to its industry-leading performance and landing capabilities.' Bombardier has a proud history of setting speed records with the Global 7500. Only a few weeks ago, the Global 7500 reclaimed the speed record from Paris to Montreal, completing the flight in less than 6 hours. Previous achievements include breaking the record for the longest mission ever flown by a purpose-built business jet, covering 8,225 nautical miles non-stop from Sydney to Detroit. These milestones underscore Bombardier's commitment to innovation and excellence in aviation. Designed with the needs of business travelers in mind, the Global 7500 offers maximum range of 7,700 nautical miles and is designed to offer unmatched long-haul travel capabilities. It boasts a spacious and refined cabin that can be customized to suit the preferences and needs of each customer. The aircraft features four distinct living spaces, including a full-size kitchen, providing the ultimate comfort and convenience. Its state-of-the-art connectivity options and ergonomic seating make it an ideal environment for productivity and relaxation, ensuring that passengers arrive at their destination refreshed and ready to take on their business endeavors. About Bombardier At Bombardier ( we design, build, modify and maintain the world's best-performing aircraft for the world's most discerning people and businesses, governments and militaries. That means not simply exceeding standards, but understanding customers well enough to anticipate their unspoken needs. For them, we are committed to pioneering the future of aviation—innovating to make flying more reliable, efficient and sustainable. And we are passionate about delivering unrivaled craftsmanship and care, giving our customers greater confidence and the elevated experience they deserve and expect. Because people who shape the world will always need the most productive and responsible ways to move through it. Bombardier customers operate a fleet of more than 5,100 aircraft, supported by a vast network of Bombardier team members worldwide and 10 service facilities across six countries. Bombardier's performance-leading jets are proudly manufactured in aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. In 2024, Bombardier was honoured with the prestigious 'Red Dot: Best of the Best' award for Brands and Communication Design. For Information For corporate news and information, including Bombardier's Sustainability report, as well as the company's initiative to cover all its flight operations with a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend utilizing the Book-and-Claim system visit Learn more about Bombardier's industry-leading products and customer service network at Follow us on X @Bombardier. Media Contacts General media contact webform Christina Lemyre McCraw +1-514-497-4928 [email protected] Bombardier, Global, Global 7500 and Global 8000 are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
